AS the number of random breath tests (RBT) in the ACT plummets and the territory road toll reaches the second highest on record, the NRMA is calling for a significant increase in RBT to save lives.

Fewer than 14,000 RBT were conducted in 2021/22 with the number of tests throughout covid dropping considerably year-on-year. By contrast, almost 98,000 tests were conducted in 2018/19 and a record 144,256 in 2013/14.

Alarmingly, over five per cent of tests conducted last year returned a positive result, double the rate on the previous year. In 2013/14 the positive return rate on tests was 0.9 per cent.

The road toll across the ACT in 2022 is 18, the second highest on record.

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said ACT police had announced publicly a shift away from the traditional bulk approach of RBT to a more targeted approach, but that the NRMA believed a shift back to the “anytime anywhere” approach with a significant increase in the number of random tests conducted is critical to reduce drink driving.

Khoury said the NRMA was calling on police to adopt the best-practice model of 1.1 tests per licence holders across the ACT. Based on 2021 figures this would require almost 360,000 tests conducted annually.

The alarming number of people drink-driving in the ACT needed to be tackled with a significant increase in the number of RBT, particularly in the midst of the festive season.

“Too many territorians are taking the risk of drink-driving and the NRMA is firmly of the view that the best deterrent is for more resourcing to go into RBT all-year-round – if drivers see more random testing they are less likely to take the risk – it is the ultimate deterrent,” Mr Khoury said.

“The number of RBT have plummeted 10-fold since 2013/14 while the percentage of positive returns has increased five-fold over the same period – this trend has to be reversed, especially as the ACT record its second-highest road toll.”

The ACT government’s traffic infringement revenue more than doubled last year to almost $61 million, due in large part to the introduction of the 40km/h speed limit on Northbourne Ave and other parts of Canberra’s city centre.

“The ACT government raised an extra $33.9 million in revenue from speed cameras last year and the NRMA believes more of that should be directed into the work of highway patrols and a significant increase in the number of RBT across the ACT,” Mr Khoury said.

“2022 was a terrible year on our roads and we do not want a repeat in 2023.”